BIG HAPPINESS: The Life and Death of a Modern Hawaiian Warrior, by Mark Panek. University of Hawaii Press, 2011, 320 pp., $18.99 (paperback)

Hawaii was once a prime recruiting ground for professional sumo. The pioneer was Jesse Kuhaulua from Oahu's Happy Valley, who entered the sport in 1964 and rose to the third-highest rank of sekiwake (under the sumo name Takamiyama), while becoming the first foreigner to win a top division title, in 1972.

After retiring in 1984, he opened Azumazeki Stable and recruited fellow Hawaiian Chad Rowan, who as Akebono ascended to sumo's summit of yokozuna in 1993 — another foreigner first.

Akebono's success, as well as that of Salevaa Atisanoe (Konishiki), who held the second-highest rank of ozeki, and Fiamalu Penitani (Musashimaru), who was Akebono's rival as yokozuna, encouraged other young Hawaiians to try sumo.